Captain

baseball

Phil, the national average of Officers per 1,000 population for 100,000 to 249,000 is 1.9 that means that Chautauqua County should have 252 Officers. The total in this County is below that! ***********theiacp****/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=LF7xdWl1tPk%3D&tabid=87

PhilJulian

BASEBALL AND REASONABLE CITIZEN = The 300 number comes from a thorough analysis recently performed by staff at the college at Fredonia. Chautauqua is basically a rural county with only 133,000 residents. We have no large metropolitan cities, we do not have big city crime and as a matter of fact Business First of Buffalo reported that our crime rate is among the lowest in all of Western New York. Keep in mind that Gerace is an elected official and the voters can throw him out anytime. The fact remains that under the current structure we have tremendous duplication in manpower, facilities and equipment and it is a fundamental reason for our excessive taxation, loss of jobs and loss of population.

ReasonableCitizen

This is just the beginning, the Radio Communications Committee made recommendations but they have been ignored so he can have a system here that will make LA or NYC look inadequate. And in the end all the local municipalities still have to pay their own way. What a deal !!. We are just a small County that needs good basic communications that's it !! Do what's right for everyone for a change.

Christopher

"This is exciting, and the fact that the money is not coming from the backs of local taxpayers is even more rewarding," Gerace told the OBSERVER on Thursday. "... I think he means this is not coming EXCLUSIVELY from the backs of local taxpayers. This money came from the backs of ALL taxpayers but only benefits local taxpayers.I'm sure they're as happy about ths as I was to contribute to Gowanda's pedestrian issues which required $650,000. Where do these people think this money comes from, The Tooth Fairy? Now, how much is that "free" boat we got costing us every year?

ProudToBeUnAmerican

baseball

By the way, where Phil do you get 300?? Jamsetown has about what 70, Dunkirk 33, Fredonia 15, Sheriff has dwindled to what maybe 40, those are the largest in the County, add maybe 30-40 troopers. The add what the few small departments have, and some part-timers, the total falls short of 300

ReasonableCitizen

Come on Phil are you slipping you're a numbers man. 6 Million plus the already 2 plus million the Sheriff has invested into this radio system before the State pulled the plug totals 8 plus million. And for 8 plus million he will "build the highway and all the local municipalities can then buy the cars to drive on it". Really ?? 8 plus million and I bet this is just the beginning wait until his final bill comes in for the rest of his toys for this system !! * plus million and everyone still has to buy in ??? And this is the guy you want to run all the law enforcement for the entire County. Hold on to you wallet Phil, I'm disappointed in you. Why pay your County taxes ?? Just so they can "build the highway" and then charge you to drive on it. Where is all this money going ?? Out of control and you will pay for it, and just think if it was under the County control with no local voice or choice. WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

PhilJulian

BASEBALL - you had better read my comments again. Where does it suggest cutting the number of cops in half? The reason I was not elected was because there are many idiots out there who share your point of view and who don't understand the damage done by excessive government. Was I supported by city unions? Absolutely not and I would not want their support - I would rather lose! CITY UNIONS KNOW THEY ARE GETTING AWAY WITH ROBBERY AND MY ELECTION MIGHT HAVE UPSET THE APPLE CART AND KILLED THE GOOSE THAT'S BEEN LAYING THE GOLDEN EGGS! They elected my opponent and got what they wanted.

Christopher

Funny how most of the anti-tax, anti-public employee, anti-public services crowd always seems to ignore police, fire and the Military for ANY cuts. That's ********. There are always cuts that can be made. I might add, nobody pads their retirement like the police. Next time you all start bashing public employee pensions, and leave out the police, feel free to look in the mirror and tell yourself you're full of...beans!

baseball

Not necessary Phil, ok, lets cut the number of cops in half, and then when someone is breaking into your house, it will take 20 minutes for the cops to arrive, you will complain on how they are not doing their jobs! I guess there is a reason that you have not been voted into office!

Escapee

Gerace stated, “and the fact that the money is not coming from the backs of local taxpayers is even more rewarding”. Where does he think taxpayer money comes from? This money is either coming from current taxpayers or our children. Someday our children will have to pay our debts, that burden will be even greater than our current tax burden. Getting the federal government to pay for our local government is not an acceptable alternative to fiscal responsibility.

PhilJulian

Why not do the right thing and consolidate all county law enforcement into the Sheriff's department. There can be no logic for the existance of eight full time law enforcement agencies in a county of only 133,000 residents. The whole thing needs to be re-structured and consolidated at the county level with satellite stations as needed in the north and south county. We have about 300 police in the county and it's just not necessary.